Magnetically operated oscillatory switch



March 7, 1950 c. F. COAKE IAGNETICALLY 0 Filed Feb. s, 1946 PERATED OSCILLATOR! SWITCH INVENTO/Z CHARL E5 F COAKE OPNEY 'to alternately make Patented Mar. 7, 1950 2,499,632 MAGNETICALLY OPERATED OSCILLATOR! SWITCH Charles F. Coake, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Sen Corporation, New Augusta, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application February 8, 1946, Serial No. 646,462

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to electromagnetic vibrators and has for its object to increase the stability and operating efliciency of such devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved torsion vibrator for interrupting electrical currents.

Another object is to reduce windage, and the drag due to windage, in a high frequency electromagnetic vibrator.

Still another object is to provide a vibratory circuit interrupter of the above type having novel and improved details of construction and features of operation.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

Electromagnetic vibrators of conventional design, employing a vibratory reed and cooperating electrical contacts, are inefliclent in many situations because of the drag on the reed due to wind resistance. This is particularly true in the case of high frequency vibrators where windage presents a serious obstacle to operating stability.

The vibrator of the present invention is particularly adapted for high frequency operation and is practically immune to the effects of windage. In the embodiment shown herein for purposes of illustration, my vibrator comprises a casing containing a driver coil, a magnetic torsion rod which extends axially through the coil and has one end fixed to the casing and the other end rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing in the casing, and an armature set in an insulating disc which is secured to the torsion rod between suitable pole pieces on the casing. A second disc secured to the torsion rod carries contacts cooperating with stationary contacts on the casing and break an electrical, circuit.

In a conventional vibrator employing a flat vibratory reed, the reed moves in a direction perpendicular to its own plane and therefore encounters considerable wind resistance, especially when it vibrates at high frequencies. In my torson vibrator, on the other hand, the torsion rod merely twists upon its axis, and the composite armature disc and the contact disc carried by the torsion rod merely move axially in their own respective planes and therefore encounter practically no wind. resistance.

Although the novel features which are characteristic of this invention are set forth more in detail in the claims appended hereto, the nature and scope of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a torsion vibrator embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the armature and pole pieces of the vibrator;

Fig. 3 is a tranverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, illustrating the mounting of the contact members;

Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the contacts, showing the disc in section taken on line H of Fi 3; and

Fig. 5 is a digram of the electrical circuit.

In the following description certain specific terms are used for convenience in referring to the various details of the invention. These terms, however, are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a torsion vibrator comprising a cylindrical casing in of magnetic material having an end plate ii secured to one end by screws l2, and a magnetic frame i3 having arcuate side walls ll secured to the other end by screws ii.

A driver coil l6 wound on a hollow core ll of magnetic material is mounted axially inside the casing l0, and a torsion rod or shaft i8, preferably of magnetic material, extends axially through the core l1 and has one end rigidly fixed at is to the frame l3 of casing i0 and the other end rotatably mounted in a bearing 20 on the end plate i I, as shown in Fi l.

The interior of easing I0 is shaped to provide diametrically opposed pole pieces- 2i, and a flat composite insulating disc 22 having a central segmental magnetic insert 23 constituting the armature of the vibrator is secured to the torsion rod i8 between said pole pieces, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A contact disc 24 of conducting material is secured to the torsion rod I8 within the frame l3, and diametrically opposed contact members 25 and 26 project outwardly from opposite sides of this disc adjacent the periphery thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The contact 25 on disc 24 cooperates with a stationary contact member 21 which is secured between strips of insulation 28 to one side wall H of frame l3, while the contact 26 on disc 24 cooperates with a stationary contact member 30 which is secured between strips of insulation 31 ad to the other side wall it of frame it. Qne terminal 32 of driver coil 96 is secured to one of the screws 55 on casing and is thereby grounded to the torsion rod it, while the other terminal 59 of said coil is secured to the stationary contact member 30.

It will be seen from the above that while one end of torsion rod 18 is fixed at 99 to the frame it, the other end of said rod is free to rotate in the bearing 20 in end plate I I, thus permitting said rod 18 to twist axially when the armature 23 is actuated by energization of driver coil 16, and to untwist axially to return the armature 23 to the normal position shown in Fig. 2 when coil it is deenergized. When rod I8 is twisted axially upon energization of coil 16, contacts 26 and 30 are closed while contacts 25 and 21 are opened; and when rod is untwists axially upon deenergization of coil I6, contacts 26 and 30 are opened while contacts 25 and 21 are closed. The axial movement of contact disc 24 is relatively small as compared with that of the composite armature disc 22, since disc 24 is nearer the anchorageof torsion rod l8, but the movement is sumcient to insure opening and closing of the contact members at appropriate points in the operating cycle.

Fig. 5 illustrates an electrical circuit in which the vibrator may be used. In this circuit the stationary contacts 21 and 30 of thevibrator are connected to the ends of the primary winding of a transformer 35. A direct current source such as battery 36 is connected to the mid-point of transformer and to the end 32 of driver coil is, which end 32 of the driver coil is grounded to the torsion rod l8 as previously described.

The driver coil I 6 is energized over a circuit extending from one side of battery 36, through coil l6 and half the primary winding of transformer 35, to the other side of battery 36. Energization of coil l6 attracts armature 23 and twists torsion rod I 8, closing contacts 25 and 30 and transmitting current in one direction through said contacts and the lower hall of the primary winding of transformer 35. Thereupon the coil l8 untwist axially, breaking contacts 26 and 30 and closing contacts 25 and 21. This causes current to be transmitted in the opposite direction through the contacts 25 and 21 and the upper half of the primary winding of transformer 35. It also removes the short-circuit from driver coil I6 and thereby energizes said coil over the circuit previously traced. This cycle of operations continues, inducing an alternating voltage of predetermined frequency and voltage in the secondary winding of transformer 35.

Since the only movement of the composite armature disc 22.and the contact disc 24 is an axial rotary movement of small amplitude, these parts are practically immune to damping due to windage. The only parts which could possibly encounter any wind resistance are the laterally aaeaeea small size of these commits and their very small arc of movement.

Although a specific embodiment has been shown and described herein for purposes of illus= tration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic vibrator comprising a casing of magnetic material, diahollow core mounted coaxially in said -shaped frame of magnetic material ably mounted in said casing pieces and the other end fixed to said U frame, an armature secured to said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' 1 7 ml STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 754,397 Tifiany Mar. 8, 1904 1,639,507 Johanson Aug. 16, 1927 1,764,658 Stoecklin June 17, 1930 1,858,876 Bossart May 1'7, 1982 1,920,135 Allen July 25, 1933 2,217,406 Hanna Oct. 8, 1940 2,245,596 Lindberg June 17, 1941 2,256,653 Snavely Sept. 23, 1941 2,324,370 Debrey July 13, 1943 2,422,861 Skrobisch June 24, 1947 2,445,401 Langer July 20, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 652,795 France Mar. 13, 1929 

